Coupler-gage



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

D. L. BARNES.

COUPLER GAGE.

No. 450,947. Patented Apr. 21,1891.

ZZLLBWWQ Wail? Z 59 172M922 fior,

m: Nnnms ravens ca, PHOYD-UTHKL, vusnmowu n c UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

DAVID L. BARNES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPLER-GAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,947, dated April21, 1891.

Application filed September 29, 1890. Serial No. 866,547. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may oonccrm Be it known that I, DAvID L. BARNES, acitizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, Cook county,Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coupler- Gages,of which the following is a specification.

As is well known to those conversant with this art, the mastercar-builders of the United States have agreed upon a certain standardform of vertical hook-coupler, requiring that acoupler to come up tosuch standard shall conform in shape to certain contour lines withoutreference to the manner of operating the rotating hook or other means ofengagement between the couplers. The object of having such a standard isto obtain uniformity of construction and enable the cars of one road tocouple with those of adiiferent road, their couplers being similar inshape. The jaws of these couplers, however, gradually become so worn inuse that they no longer conform to the desired lines. A certain amountof departure from such lines may be allowed without danger, but a pointis finally reached at which the form of the jaws is so changed that thecouplers will separate when subjected to a heavy strain.

Some means is necessary with which to measure the distance between thejaws to determine when such distance has become so great as to renderany further use of the coupler unsafe. This means it is the object of myinvention to provide, and such invention consists in the features anddetails of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan View of the contour lines of acoupler with my improved gage applied thereto, showing the couplerunworn; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the coupler so worn as to beunsafe for further use; and Figs. 3, 4:, and 5, plan views of modifiedforms of gage.

A is the coupler; B B, the jaws thereof; O, the gage, and D D the armsthereof.

The construction of the coupler, except as regards the outline orcontour lines thereof, is no part of my invention. These contour linesare shown in the first two figures of the drawings, and with what hasbeen said above explain themselves and require no further description.

The gage G is made of wood, iron, or other suitable material. Itpreferably comprises a box, which holds the arms, and an extension orleg E. In the preferred form this leg is curved to lit the coupler, andis provided with projections e, adapted to contact with the surface ofthe coupler, as shown in Fig. 1.

The arms D D, when made as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, slide back andforth in the box C, and the gage should be so shaped that when appliedto an unworn coupler the leg E will fit, as shown, to the outside of thejaw B, the arm D will abut against the jaw B, and the arm D against thejaw B, the two arms being then in line. \Vhen applied to a coupler soworn as to be unsafe, the arms will assume the position shown in Fig.2,with the arms pushed forward until they touch the jaws. Anindicator-line is preferably drawn or a mark made upon one or both ofthe arms, or upon one of the arms and the box, as shown, and when thearms, in order to contact with the jaws, have to be moved until thisline is reached or passed the coupler is unsafe for use. The position ofthis indicator-mark will of course vary according to the standard towhich the coupler is required to conform; and, if desired, more than onemark may be used, forming, as it were, a scale by means whereof therelative travel of the arms and the amount of wear of the coupler maybedeterminedwith accuracy.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the arms shown are adapted to be moved by hand, beingheld by friction with the box.

In Fig. 3 set-screws F F are provided to move the arms, the screwsworking through shoulders on the box and arms.

In Fig. 4: one arm slides in the box and the other is pivoted upon thesliding arm, being carried forward with it.

In Fig. 5 one arm slides and the other is pivoted to the box.

When in any of these last three devices the arms, in order to contactwith the jaws, have to be moved until the indicator-lines coincide, thecoupler is unsafe. These are shown as various forms of my device, butnot as the only ones, nor as a limitation to any or all of them, myinvention consisting, broadly, in providing a gage for measuringvertical hookcouplers, and any other form may be employed that willaccomplish the desired result.

I claim- 1. A coupler-gage comprising a leg adapted to contact with theexterior of one of the coupler-jaws, and movable arms adapted to contactWith the interior of the jaws respectively, substantially as described.

2. A coupler-gage comprising a box, a leg adapted to fit upon theexterior of the jaw, and movable arms adapted to contact with theinterior of the jaws, respectively, substantially as described. 7 7 W 3.A coupler-gage comprising a box, a leg, an arm sliding in the box, andan arm pivoted to the box or to the arm, substantially as described. 1

4.- A coupler-gage conforming, when its parts are in their normalposition, to the contour lines of a coupler and adapted to be ad justedto indicate the degree of departure of the coupler from such lines,substantially as described.

5. A coupler-gage comprising a fixed member contacting with the exteriorof the coupler-jaw and one or more movable members contacting with theinterior of the couplerjaws to determine the amount of Wear of thecoupler and its conformity or non-conformity to a desired standard,substantially as described.

6. A coupler-gage to determine the condition of a vertical-planecoupler, which is aligned by the knuckle of the coupler and is providedwith one or more adjustable members for determining the relativeposition of the parts of the coupler, substantially as described.

DAVID L. BARNES. Witnesses:

SAMUEL E. HIBBEN, ANNIE C. COURTENAY.

